O's Challenge: OT, DT and QB

LSU is well-postured to obtain and maintain at all other roster positions.

These are 3 areas that separate Championship teams from Contending teams.

QB, OT and Dline.

QB: It might be bold, and I don't expect everyone to agree, but I think the trough Miles left O has been filled,and is going to be "good" or "great" in the 2019+ era. Yeah, yeah, Coach E and LSU's lack of QB development of the past. At the same time, the trick is to get guys on campus who have a good head start and are "developable", and we are light years better than the dreaded 2008-2017 era (save a couple of possible exceptions). Burrow, Brennan, Parish, Johnson and Finley. I'll take it. Hopefully Brady and Coach E bring real schemes and development suitable to our talent and the playing field reality of 2019+. I know, I know...I feel good, but you are skeptical. Fair.

OT: My biggest concern. Deculus and Charles need huge technique and speed/acceleration improvement. That acceleration things is hard to develop. As it stands, I am a skeptic. Burrow lost 0.2-0.5 seconds of field vision inspection and pocket response time on a consistent basis. Sure, plays and schemes can work around that to a degree, but not enough for a championship team/offense. Wire and Rosenthal are our best odds. Perry, Bradford and (hopefully) Parker add other hope. But, as the saying goes, "hope is not a plan", so one of these guys is gonna have to STEP UP BIG TIME to fill in at LT, and the second best guy can man the RT spot. The rest of the Oline looks experienced and talented. Not premier, but certainly good enough.

DT: Oh boy. Bama gets 8 Top-300 Dlineman, including the #1 and #2 in the country in the '19 class. Of course that is brought up because Dline starters and depth are PARAMOUNT to winning a championship, witness Clemson and Bama's Dline (and ours in 2003/2007 and 2011). Lawrence, Fehoko and the boys need to stay healthy! Shelvin needs to get extremely serious. We'll need fortune to stay healthy, and our O and ST will need to give am assist, but I am optimistic our Dline with be up to the 2019 task (starter talent level and sufficient depth). As some has stated, Bama loading up in 2019,and our needs for early contributions from 2020 class, and the head start we have with lots of strong Dlineman in 2020 class, or maybe a transfer portal guy or two, make think we'll bridge from 2018-2019-2020-and beyond. What did I hear? Something about a meatball? Well, you are correct that Coach O and Dennis need more than a tweak to their Dline recruiting ways. That's for true. Deep breath with fingers crossed this can be changed. Aranda attracts LB's and DB's, but as Sophsher was led to believe, the LSU Dline has not been up to snuff as appealing with Coach O and Dennis offering whatever they are. Top line talent wants a bird in the hand.

Ok...Again, this post is in no way to overlook the other areas.

It only is looking at what's championship level coach is most looking at,as there are 2 elements to a roster IMO. QB-OT-Dline....and everything else.

The QB-OT-Dline trio of positions determine field position, down and distance statistical odds,and frequency of scoring opportunities. Everything else leverages-up,or drags-down,based on this trio.

That's why Coach O tried so hard to get that Amite kid (who obviously was enchanted by the Lil midget in the hat all along)

I think everything else is where it needs to be.

OT is where the most attention needs to be allocated for 2019...followed by a tie with QB (and offensive scheme) and the Dline talent and depth.

I feel optimistic. Much more than any year since 2011, that is.

Geaux Tigers